Control apparatus



0d 4, 1932. c. E. BAsToN ET AL 1,880,669

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed 00T.. 6, 1930 www xNvENToRs CyriZEBaszon ELzeYZ C. Jones.

AT'TORNEY latentecl ct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES i-PATENT err-ica CYETL E. E'AsToN ANn EUEI. c. JoNEs, or WILKTNSEUEG, PENNsYLvANTmAssiGNoEs To WEsTINGHoUsE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING :COME-ANY, A .CORPORATION p or PENNSYLVANIA CONTROL APPARATUS Application filed October 6, 1930.v Serial No.48692.

Our invention relates to control apparatus and particularly to controller handles provided with latching or notching mechanisms.

In applications where it is important that accurate notching of themaster controller be obtained, as in systems embodying regenerative braking, it is necessary to equip the controller with a notching device to assist the operator in properly manipulating the controller handle.

Notching devices have previously been built which controlled the movement of a controller handle in only one direction, but in regenerative braking systems it is necessary that the controller besuitable for accurate notching in either the forward or backward direction.

An object of our invention, generally stated, is to provide a notching device for a controller handle which shall be simple and reliable in operation and which may be readily and economically manufactured.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a notching device which will per- 'mit a controller handle to be moved in either be had to the following detailed description,

taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a controllerv handle and the associated notching bar, embodying a notching mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1 and showing details of the construction.

Referring to the drawing, the structure shown comprises a curved gear sector 10 which constitutes a notching bar for controlling the position of a controller handle 12. The gear sector 10 may be mounted on top of a controller casing, not shown. It is .drum of the controller.

provided 'withteeth each one of which corresponds to fa position of the contact drum of the controller.

The handle 12 may be pivotally mounted on top of the controller casing where it may be conveniently manipulated-by the operator. A 'gear sector 13' is providedat one end ofthe controller'handle 12 to actuate the contact` Since our invention relates only tothe controller'handle and its associated notching bar 10, it is believed unnecessary to show the casing and `contact drum of the controller, as our invention may be applied to a controller of any standard type well known in the art.

In order that the controller handle 12, and,

therefore, the contact drum of the controller may be moved, in either direction, in a stepby-step manner and only one notch at a time, a pinion sector 14 is pvot-ally mounted on asliding block 15 which is disposed Ain a slot provided in the controller Vhandle 12. As shown, the teeth of-the pinion sector 14 normally engage the teeth 11 of the gear sector 10. A stop member 16 is provided at i. each side of the controller handle 12 and is disposed to limit the movement of the pinion sector ltto an angle which corresponds to one position of the contact drum of the controller. A spiral spring 17 is mountedonf the pinion sector 14. The spring 17 cooperates with 'a pin 18, mounted on the sliding block 15, anda pin 19, mountedon the pinion sector-14, to normally bias the pinion-sector to a position midway between the two stop` members 16. n y

1t will be observed that a rod 2O is connectedto thesliding block 15 and extends through the end of the handle 12 where it may be conveniently depressed by the operator. A compression spring 21 is mounted inside of the handle 12 and normally biases Vius l the sliding block 15-and the pinion-sector 14 to a position Vwhere the pinion sector engages the gear sector'lO. When the rod 20- is depressed `by the operator, the teeth of the pinion sector are disengaged from the teeth 11 of the gear sector.`

Assuming that the handle 12 is in its nor- :mal position. at the center-of the notching..

loo

bar as shown in Fig. 1, the handle may be actuated either forward or backward only one notch, which corresponds to one position of the contact drum. The movement of the handle is limited by the pinion sector 14, which strikes one of the stops 16 depending upon the direction in which the handle is moved. ln order to move the handle to the next position, it is necessary to depress the rod 2,0, which will disengage the pinion sector 14 from'the teeth 11 of the gear sector. When the pinion sector is so disengaged, the spiral spring 17 will return the pinion sector to its mid-position between the stops 16. After the pinion sector has been returned to litsV mid-position, the rod 20may be released andthe teeth of the pinion sector14 will engage the teeth 11 of theV gear sector 10 at leo i il() the new position and the handle may then be actuated another notch. By repeating this process, the controller handle may be accurately notched one position at a time in either the forward or backward direction.

-In case it is desired to move the controller handle several notches at a time, this may be accomplished by holding the rod 20 in the depressed position, thereby rendering the notching mechanism ineffective and the handle 12 may be freely moved in either direction.

`Since numerous changesmay be made in the above described construction and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention: f

1. ln a controller, in combination,a handle for operating the controller in both the forward and the reverse directions, a notched guide member, means cooperating with the guide member for normally preventing the handle from being moved more than one notch at a time in either the' forward orthe reverse direction, depressible means for vrendering the notching device ineffective to permit the handle to be moved a plurality of Anotches in either direction if desired, and

means for returning the notching device to its norma-l position when said depressible means is released.

2. In a controller, in combination, a handle for operating the controller, a gear sector, a pinion sector movably mounted on the handle and normally biased to engage the gear sector, and means cooperating with the pinin either direction.

4. In a controller, in combination, a pivotally mounted handle for operating the Controller, a curved gear sector on which each tooth corresponds to one position'of the controller, a pinion sector pivotally mounted on the' handle, resilient means for normally biasing the pinion sector to engage the gear sector, means provided on the handle and cooperating with the pinion sector and the gear sector to limit the movement of the handle in either direction, means for disengaging the pinion sector from the gear sector, and means for'returning the pinion sector to a predetermined position when it is so disengaged,`

i whereby the handle may be Vmoved a predetermined distance when the pinion sector is permitted to again engage the gear sector.

5. A controller handle comprising a block slidably mounted in a slot provided in the` handle, a pinion sector pivotally mounted on the `block, means for biasing the bloclr and pinion .sector to a predetermined position,

and means for biasing the pinion sector to a .1

predetermined position. i

6. A controller handle comprising ablock slidably mounted in a Aslot provided in the handle, a pinion sector pivotally mounted on the block, resilient means disposed within the handle for biasing the block and pinion sector to a predetermined position, means provided onthe handle for limiting the movement of the pinion sector relative to the handle, and resilient means for biasing thezpinion sector to a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this first day of October, 1930.

CYRIL E. EASTON. RUEL C. JONES ion sector to prevent the handle being moved Vmorethan one notch at aV time in either direction.

3. In ya controller, in combination, a pivotally mountedha'ndle for operating the controller, a curved gear sector, a pivotallyV 

